Thursday, May 17, 2018

Programming note, some upcoming time off in the next two weeks where I will (hopefully) not have access to either the internet or the extra time to put these together. Sorry, folks, but it's been long over due and I really need it. Expect normal operations to be back in swing by the first of June.

Just wanna say I've been looking at my stats. All my Russian friends seem to be putting in some long hours with early days and late nights. Waves to all my Russian friends.

Yanny or Laurel? I really couldn't care less. But it's just another example that what you think of as "reality" is just a holographic construct built and only existing in your brain.

The state of climate science at Fox News. "Could reviving Woolly-Mammoth genes fight the effects of global warming?" While the explanation is (laughably) plausible (requiring the reintroduction of genes to modern elephants to help them tolerate cold temperatures, and then reintroducing them into northern land masses and then have them knock down a shitload of trees, which would help - somewhat - keep permafrost perma-frosty), it's totally non-sensible and basically, "oh, shit, I guess we should have saved the elephants" bad. Seriously? Make elephants cold tolerant and then release them in huge masses to destroy the northern forests so that cold air and ice can reach the ground? That's not even Ig Nobel Prize worthy.

"Whose Bot Army Is Following Manoush?" A Note to Self podcast about bots, bot armies, junk news versus fake news, and what they (may) be trying to do (and how). Also, why are the Europeans (in general) doing better than us.

"The FCC announced Thursday morning that it would fine Adrian Abramovich, a Miami man who the commission said made almost 100 million spoofed robocalls over a three-month period at the end of 2016. The FCC argued that Abramovich’s operation made the phony calls to trick consumers into answering and listening to his advertising messages. The fine was based on 80,000 spoofed calls the commission had verified." I'd be lying if I said it's probably not because Ajit Pai had a bad vacation experience himself. Actually it's wanting to show he's actually doing something other than rolling back net neutrality.

"In addition, the administration wants to freeze (federal employee) salaries next year, and is considering a broader overhaul of civil service laws, all of which has public-employee groups nervous." But I thought the tax cuts meant we'd be swimming in all the increased revenue from the improved economy? "'We're not doing a great job of attracting young people to government,' said Thomas Ross… 'We need to do that, because the workforce is aging — 41 percent of the federal workforce is eligible to retire in five years." I guess calling them "the problem", blaming the hard working employees for all the failures of law, and labeling them as "takers" wasn't a big recruitment tool these last 30 years. So, hey, while we're facing such a crisis I know how we fix it. We show there's no chance of improving your life by working for the government (which used to be a big driver of bringing people into the middle-class) and we'll also cut your retirement benefits (probably the biggest sales point in recruitment for government workers). That aughta bring them in by the barrel-full.

The NRA skips the middle-man and elects an illicit gun-runner as it's president. Hey all you Marines, remember when Good Ol' Ollie defiled the uniform by wearing it to Congressional hearings into the Iran-Contra scandal when he was specifically told by the brass not to (as it was against regulations)? Also interesting on this day when the current president may back out of the nuclear arms agreement with Iran that the NRA elevates the man who illegally sold arms and spare-parts to the Iranian government to help fund the Contras (which was also against the law).

Buy My Stuff

I also design t-shirts for friends and colleagues and just to satisfy my own weird sense of the world. Like my Live, Love, Laugh shirt. You can find me at Amazon (limited selection for now) and Spreadshirt (more venues to come).

About Me

I am a writer of Fantasy, Horror, and Science Fiction. Here you can find some of my thoughts about writing, politics, society, dreams, and anything that comes into my head. Sometimes I drop a Story Bone or two. And then there is the tweeting.

The opinions expressed on this blog are my own and should not be considered the opinions of my employers or clients.

Da Rules

Anything put in a post with the title "Story Bone" is up for grabs. If it sets off a story bomb in your head, go for it. I don't claim any right except to maybe write my own story based on the bone. I haven't researched the bones to make sure I'm not trodding on somebody else's toes so use at your own risk. Think of these as free ideas.